Foundering

4.5 (966)
TECH NEWS
SERIES

Foundering is an award-winning, serialized podcast from the journalists at Bloomberg Technology. Each season, Foundering brings you inside a different high-stakes drama from the technology industry, where its companies are wielding unprecedented capital and power.

EPISODE 1

OpenAI Part 1: The Most Silicon Valley Man Alive

Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, shot to tech stardom with the release of ChatGPT. His company is one of the most valuable startups in the world, and he is treated like an ambassador for the AI future, zipping around the globe, meeting with world leaders. But how did he amass so much power? In this episode, reporter Ellen Huet looks at Altman’s rise and his penchant for forming close bonds with powerful Silicon Valley figures, who in turn have lent their influence and money to his ever-growing ambitions. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

39 min
EPISODE 2

OpenAI Part2: Ilya Dreams of AGI

OpenAI employees were motivated by the dream of building an artificial general intelligence, which could think and solve problems like a human mind. In reality, they sometimes spent their days building bots that played video games. But new research allowed the company to create increasingly powerful AI models, giving them a lead in the AI race. Meanwhile, a power struggle between Sam Altman and Elon Musk led to Musk’s departure from the company. In this episode, reporter Ellen Huet takes a look at OpenAI’s early days and the company’s shift away from its promises to be open-source and nonprofit. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

35 min
EPISODE 3

OpenAI Part 3: Heaven and Hell, Part 1

A group of high-level early employees who had glimpsed the fluidity and power of the technology behind ChatGPT left OpenAI to start a new company. Their exit sparked concerns that OpenAI is not prioritizing safety. Meanwhile, the success of ChatGPT drove a craze within the tech industry but also added fuel to existing apocalyptic fears. In this episode, reporter Ellen Huet examines the frenzy around AI, both its utopic dreams and visions of impending doom. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

32 min
EPISODE 4

OpenAI Part 4: Heaven and Hell, Part 2

It’s widely predicted that AI will upend the economy and threaten many existing jobs. Sam Altman, in trying to stay ahead of public fears of mass unemployment, has offered universal basic income as a solution. He also has envisioned an AI future of abundance. In this episode, reporter Ellen Huet looks at Altman’s proposals for ending poverty and his current relationship with his sister, Annie Altman, who struggles with homelessness in Hawaii. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

22 min
EPISODE 5

OpenAI Part 5: Beware the Ides of November

Right as Sam Altman was at the peak of his success, touring the world to espouse the virtues of AI, his board turned on him. Altman was unceremoniously fired. OpenAI’s coup is a story of secrets, betrayal, employee revolt and Altman’s expert political maneuvering to regain his position of power. In this episode, reporter Ellen Huet also examines Altman’s history of broken promises and alleged manipulation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

48 min
SEASON 5 TRAILER

Foundering: The OpenAI Story (Trailer)

The biggest story in tech is artificial intelligence, and the biggest story in AI is OpenAI. The company’s rapid progress and blazingly popular consumer products like ChatGPT have pushed tech giants to dump billions of dollars into an AI arms race. OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, has been dogged by persistent allegations of being manipulative, deceitful, and power hungry – even to the point of being fired by his own board. This season of Foundering takes listeners straight to the heart of the AI explosion: feuds, betrayals, billionaires, and the extinction of humanity…. maybe? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2 min

See All Season 5 (6)

Bloomberg's Joe Weisenthal and Tracy Alloway explore the most interesting topics in finance, markets and economics. Join the conversation every Monday and Thursday.

4.5 (1639)

INVESTING
Listen for today's top stories, with context, in just 15 minutes. Get informed from Bloomberg's 3,000 journalists and analysts.

3.9 (54)

BUSINESS NEWS
Bloomberg Radio host Barry Ritholtz has in-depth discussions with the people and ideas that shape markets, investing and business.

4.4 (2076)

INVESTING
The economy and the markets are "under surveillance" as we cover the latest in finance, economics and investment. Listen to Jonathan Ferro, Lisa Abramowicz and Annmarie Hordern for the top interviews from Bloomberg Surveillance Television. And join Tom Keene and Paul Sweeney for the best conversations from Bloomberg Surveillance Radio. Watch Surveillance TV LIVE each mornings: http://bit.ly/3P7nstQ. Watch Surveillance Radio LIVE weekday mornings: http://bit.ly/3vTiACF.

3.9 (1103)

BUSINESS NEWS
Tariffs, crypto, deregulation, tax cuts, protectionism, are just some of the things back on the table when Donald Trump returns to the Presidency. To help you plan for Trump's singular approach to economics, Bloomberg presents Trumponomics, a weekly podcast focused on the Trump administration's economic policies and plans. Editorial head of government and economics Stephanie Flanders will be joined each week by reporters in Washington D.C. and Wall Street to examine how Trump's policies are shaping the global economy and what on earth is going to happen next.

4.3 (345)

INVESTING
Zero is about the tactics and technologies taking us to a world of zero emissions. Each week Bloomberg’s award-winning reporter Akshat Rathi talks to the people tackling climate change – a venture capitalist hunting for the best cleantech investment, scientists starting companies, politicians who have successfully created climate laws, and CEOs who have completely transformed their businesses. The road to zero emissions has many paths and everyone’s got an opinion about the best route. Listen in.

4.8 (207)

BUSINESS

View Subscription FAQs

Ellen Huet

Host
Shawn Wen

Host
Jamie Tarabay

Guest
Brad Stone

Guest

4.5

out of 5

966 Ratings

Wow, stellar reporting

08/15/2024

Pya3g

Love this, especially the Open AI. Finally more thorough coverage on this topic. Well done!!
Too Much Bias

May 20

dinahbytes

When reporting on the facts it’s good, but they also throw in Twitter theories and unconfirmed information to support their slant instead of being objective and letting the listener decide. So what if there was turmoil at OpenAI and the CEO doesn’t want to talk about the drama publicly? That’s true for all companies unless the CEO is an idiot. This thirst for drama and salaciousness is ridiculous. The tech IS what matters. And as far as Altman’s sister…she seems 1) insane and 2) jealous because she failed in life so I don’t trust her motives.
Disappointing

Apr 13

S1a0m1m2

The Open AI season is trash reporting. It’s more like a hit piece than a story of a founder. I was looking forward to it and other seasons, but the reporting is so slanted that I won’t be trying other seasons. Be better, Bloomberg.
Waste of time

08/21/2024

Yashiro23

Is this about Sam and OpenAI or Annie? One-sided and drama-driven. What a waste of time!

Foundering is an award-winning, serialized podcast from the journalists at Bloomberg Technology. Each season, Foundering brings you inside a different high-stakes drama from the technology industry, where its companies are wielding unprecedented capital and power.

Channel

Bloomberg
Creator

Bloomberg
Episodes

182
Seasons

5
Rating

Clean
Copyright

2025 iHeartMedia, Inc. © Any use of this intellectual property for text and data mining or computational analysis including as training material for artificial intelligence systems is strictly prohibited without express written consent from iHeartMedia
Show Website

Foundering
Provider

Bloomberg L.P.